Mingledorff Shipyard signed a contract with the United States Department of the Navy in 1941 to construct multiple minesweepers - small naval vessels intended to neutralize the effects of mines set out at sea during times of war. Unfortunately, since asbestos was affordable and effective in slowing corrosion and retarding fire, it was utilized extensively in minesweepers. While asbestos was widely believed to be harmless at the time that minesweepers were being used and constructed, it is now proven to cause cancer. Because the signs of asbestos exposure take 20 to 50 years to manifest, many veterans may be unaware that their disease is connected to their military service.